The Andrews Labor Government is delivering a faster journey for drivers on the Tullamarine Freeway, with speeds returning to 100km/h on newly asphalted sections between Melrose Drive and Melbourne Airport from today.
Drivers are currently enjoying travel time savings of 17 minutes on a round trip between the Bolte Bridge and Melbourne Airport, with average speeds during the AM peak almost doubling since the new lanes opened.
From today, the speed limit will be permanently restored to 100 km/h outbound on the Tullamarine Freeway between Melrose Drive and Melbourne Airport, delivering further travel time savings.
The inbound lanes will be put back up to 100 km/h later this week.
Variable speed limits are already being trailed between the Bolte Bridge and Bulla road, allowing drivers to travel at 100 km/h when traffic conditions allow.
The trial of these variable speed limits will be extended to the section of road between Melrose Drive and Bulla Road early next year.
Increasing speeds permanently between Melrose Drive and Melbourne Airport and through variable speed limits between Bulla Road and Melrose Drive, will see travel times improve further.
As final asphalting is completed to create a smooth and reliable road surface, new detectors will be laid on the section of freeway between Melrose Drive and Bulla Road to measure traffic volumes.
More than 260,000 tonnes of asphalt have been laid as part of the CityLink Tulla Widening project, equivalent to more than 22,000 tuck loads.
Most of the works have been completed at night to minimise impact to drivers.
The $1.3 billion CityLink Tulla Widening project is jointly funded by the Victorian and federal governments.
As noted by Minister for Roads and Road Safety Luke Donnellan
"Drivers on the Tulla are already spending less time struck in traffic thanks to new lanes – and now we're ready to raise speeds back to 100km/h between Melrose Drive and Melbourne Airport."
"A variable speed limit trial between Bulla Road and Melrose Drive could slash travel times even further, allowing us to increase speeds permanently when it's safe to do so."
